Monday, March 12, 2007

"Many Medicaid patients have a hard time finding a doctor, but it can be almost impossible to find a dentist.

Although the state's health care program for the poor and disabled also covers dental care, the number of dentists actually seeing Medicaid patients is small.

Of the 8,000 dentists regularly working in Illinois, only 2,000, or about 25 percent, are enrolled in Illinois' Medicaid program. And only 10 percent of those actively see patients each month, says Greg Johnson, director of professional services for the Illinois State Dental Society."